Description:

JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE
(1749-1832) German author and poet, best known for his masterwork Faust. Very rare, fine association L.S. 2pp. 4to., Weimar, Sept. 27, 1816, to a gentleman, almost certainly the neoclassical sculptor Johann Gottfried Schadow, whom Goethe's son commissioned to make a bronze medal of his father upon a visit to Weimar. In part: "...I should have thanked you long ago for your affection and your works to which I have paid sympathetic attention. Should I excuse those failures I would have to think of many painful and unpleasant things; I shall rather forward you at once a contribution which will instruct you and may be useful to your needs. Should you want to leave some of the curious presentations in copper, I would advise you to select a symbolic alphabet; for example, Emperor, Judge, Possession, Property, etc. The orders are coming in again and again. Therefore you will have enough stimuli for the preparatory work; however I will not be able to go over the latter once again. Would you indicate what you intend to use thereof, for then I would be stimulated to add something here and there...". Schadow (1764-1850) created for Goethe a large bronze medal - a collectible of particular interest to Goethe - inspired by the Italian Renaissance and bearing the image of Pegasus. In all, he would create a dozen medals for the author. The two became friendly during this visit, and Goethe would come to advise Schadow on a monument he was creating in Rostock to honor Marsha von Blucher, the hero of the Battle of Waterloo. Penned just three months after the death of Goethe's wife Christiane, who died on June 6, 1816. Finely penned on two sides of a light brown sheet. A bit fdelicate, overall very good condition.

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June 4, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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